Where to Buy Inexpensive Yarn and Crochet Patterns (Or Get Them for Free!)

This post – Where to Buy Inexpensive Yarn and Crochet Patterns (Or Get Them for Free!) –  contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase from the links below, I will get a small percentage of the sales at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your continued support! 

As a designer who earns my living from crochet, I obviously value the craft and the hard work that goes into creating a crochet pattern. At the same time, I know that things are expensive these days, and that includes yarn. Yes, crocheting has numerous benefits for mental health, anxiety, and things like that. But when you’re making a choice between that pretty skein of yarn or putting food on the table, well …

If you’re trying to save money or stay within a budget, there are ways you can do that while still supporting your favorite designers and helping them pay their bills. So I wanted to give you my best frugal tips for where to buy inexpensive yarn and patterns, or even get them for free!

1. Shop at Thrift Stores

One of the best places to find cheap yarn for crochet is a thrift store! Every now and then, I will go through my yarn, samples, and everything in my office. When I do that, I usually find a ton of yarn that I’m not using I don’t have any intentions of using anytime soon. So I pack it up and take it to Goodwill.

I’m not the only one who donates yarn, either. I was at Goodwill recently and saw baggies of different assorted yarns for about $5 a bag. So if you’re looking for some cheap yarn for sale, check out Goodwill or other thrift stores. I’ve also bought and sold yarn at yard sales. And you can find listings of yarn on Facebook marketplace as well.

For pre-owned yarn, you will want to wash it thoroughly to make sure it’s sanitary. But you can easily find videos on YouTube about how to wash yarn. It’s fairly simple to wash it in your machine.

And while this tip is more for the yarn, many thrift stores also have book sections. It wouldn’t hurt to look there as well and see if you can find used books of crochet patterns. Your local library may also carry a variety of crochet pattern books.

2. Watch for Sales and Stock Up

If you need a specific yarn for a project, or you have a brand that you love and use often, you can get the best yarn price by watching for sales and stocking up. The same goes for patterns. Both of these go on sale from time to time and you can find some great deals if you pay attention!

The best way to keep up with any sales is to subscribe to the email lists of your favorite yarn companies and designers. For example, I subscribe to Lion Brand emails. At least twice a week, they notify me of something on sale. Sometimes they offer as much as 35% or 50% off!

It’s the same for for patterns and designers. Designers have sales all the time. I like to do sales periodically throughout the year because I know that it’s helpful for my customers. It’s a great way to stock up on those patterns that you’ve been longing to make, that have been sitting in your cart on Etsy or Ravelry.

To learn about upcoming sales, again, subscribe to your favorite designers’ email lists. You can subscribe to my mailing list here so you never miss out on a great deal on my crochet patterns!

3. Take Advantage of Crochet Pattern Bundles and eBooks

You can save big on crochet patterns by buying them in bundles or eBooks. Bundles generally incorporate several designers’ patterns in one collection—something like $20 for 40 patterns. Considering an individual crochet pattern can cost as much as $5–8, 50 cents per pattern is an insanely good deal! If you find five or six patterns in the bundle that you love, you’re getting your money’s worth.

Usually, crochet pattern bundle sales are offered for a limited time. So if you find one that includes several patterns you really want, grab it quickly!

Similarly, a single designer may also create an eBook that includes several of their patterns at a huge discount. Right now, I’m offering a Summer Washcloth Series eBook, where you can get 8 different washcloth patterns for $8.99. That’s just a little over $1 per pattern, which is more than 60% off.

4. Look for Free Patterns

You can find free crochet patterns everywhere! You can find them on designers’ websites or on Ravelry, among other places. Some designers only have free patterns. Others, like me, offer a mix.

But when you’re using a free pattern, keep in mind that like you, crochet designers need to make a living. If you find a free pattern on a designer’s blog, they’re making money through the ad revenue and affiliate links that are on their website. So if you find a free pattern that you want to use, please stay on that designer’s site and scroll through the pattern as you work it.

Please, please, please don’t copy and paste the pattern somewhere else. It may be easier for you but it does not help the designer in any way. Yes, an ad or two may pop up but you can quickly close it. It’s really a small amount of effort in order to support the designer who has kindly provided you this content for free.

And if you love a pattern, share a link on social media! Your friends and other crocheters will click through to the designer’s website. The more traffic you bring us, the better! Even if you can’t afford to buy the pattern, every little bit of support is so helpful and so appreciated.

5. Repurpose Your WIPs

Do you have old projects that you’ve never finished, that have been sitting in bags forever? Why not frog them and use that yarn to make something else? Instead of going out and buying new yarn, look through your WIPs and see what you can repurpose.

If a project has been sitting there more than, say, eight months, it’s time to move on. If you need a certain type of yarn, and you’ve got a half-made blanket laying around that’s made with that yarn, there you go. That’s a fantastic way to save money and cut back on waste.

I hope you find those ideas helpful and have learned where to buy inexpensive yarn and crochet patterns (or get them for free)! Do you have any more tips to save money on yarn and crochet patterns? Comment below and share them. I’d love to hear from you!

Tag me on social media @twobrothersblankets, especially if you find a great deal on yarn or crochet patterns using these tips!

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